A charming visionaryIf you walked through Midtown Atlanta today, you would see a burgeoning, bustling, vibrant community. A place where people live, play and work. For me, it’s not just a matter of interest; it’s a matter of family history. My father-in-law, Jim Cushman, developed the first mixed-use community in Midtown Atlanta, Colony Square. Designed to include offices, shops, residential and entertainment, it began in the late 1960s when there were abandoned ...

Carly Fiorina, a woman of accomplishmentWhen people speak of “the first woman president” they usually mean Hillary Clinton, who is expected to announce her candidacy soon. But there’s another woman, a Republican, who will shortly vie for the top job. She is Carly Fiorina, former CEO of Hewlett-Packard. The polls don’t register much support for Fiorina, but if people listen to what she has to say, particularly about Hillary Clinton, that could change. In an interview, Fiorina told me...

More is not merrier in our citiesNew York and San Francisco are expensive places to live. That’s a big problem for the nation because these cities are centers for the booming knowledge economy. High housing costs discourage this growth. So sayeth The Economist, its trademark voice of reason spiked with charges of greed against those who would resist the god of gross domestic product. The venerable British magazine has a prescription, unfortunately: Make housing cheaper by bui...

The Iran 'agreement' charadeBy abandoning virtually all its demands for serious restrictions on Iran’s nuclear bomb program, the Obama administration has apparently achieved the semblance of a preliminary introduction to the beginning of a tentative framework for a possible hope of an eventual agreement with Iran. But even this hazy “achievement” may vanish like a mirage. It takes two to agree — and Iran has already publicly disputed and even mocked what President Obama ...

Legislator tries to show us the moneyRemember the scene in the movie “Jerry Maguire” where the football player portrayed by Cuba Gooding Jr. makes the sports agent played by Tom Cruise shout, “Show me the money!”? The part of Gooding was played this legislative session by Rep. Jana Della Rosa, R-Rogers. The part of Tom Cruise was played by a Legislature that, unfortunately, decided to keep silent. In Arkansas, candidates can file their reports online or on paper. The reports can ...

Battle over ‘religious freedom’ law may be just beginningDon’t bet that the battle over “the free exercise of religion” is over despite the April Fool’s Day passage of compromise legislation that satisfied Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s objection to a much stronger bill. Or should I say a bill that was more to the liking of the governor’s son Seth? After all, the senior Hutchinson had ignored opposition from such powerful corporations as Wal-Mart, Apple and Axciom, using his influence to pull the highly disc...

Religion bill previews rifts governor facesLITTLE ROCK — The 11th hour chaos surrounding a religious objections measure and widespread criticism that it was anti-gay was the type of fight Gov. Asa Hutchinson had largely avoided over other divisive issues in his first legislative session. A day after he called for changes to a bill that he had promised initially to sign into law, Hutchinson approved a compromise version that would still prohibit state and local government from infringin...

Delta risingLITTLE ROCK — I may be from the hills of Northwest Arkansas, but I love the Delta. I was privileged recently to travel to Helena-West Helena for a big dedication — the opening of the Enviro Tech Chemical Services plant. It’s the first major industrial project to locate in the Helena Harbor. It was an exciting day. Being in Helena-West Helena always makes me feel a little more Southern. Maybe it’s the food. Or the history and music. Or because ...

General Assembly closes up shopLITTLE ROCK — When we return back to our districts this weekend, we do so knowing we passed significant tax cuts, reformed our parole system, and paved the way for innovative economic opportunities. The 90th General Assembly is now in recess until the Speaker announces a day for Sine-Die adjournment. On that day we will address any vetoes and wrap up any unfinished businesses before official adjournment. We began this session by voting to lowe...

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State House of RepresentativesThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Iran deal leaves major questions unresolvedWASHINGTON — The framework nuclear deal sealed by world powers and Iran leaves major questions: Could Iran cheat? Possibly. Would the U.S or anyone else be able to respond in time? In theory, yes. Are they prepared to use military force? Questionable. Would a final deal settle global fears about Iran’s intentions? Almost surely, no. But the surprisingly detailed fact sheet released by the United States after Thursday’s diplomatic breakthrough ...

Deepening Democratic Party divideFor those pining for a Democratic Party that tries to represent more than the whims of the rich and powerful, these are, to say the least, confusing times. On the presidential campaign trail, Hillary Clinton has been promoting standard pro-middle class rhetoric, yet also has been raking in speaking fees from financial firms. One of her potential primary challengers, former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley, has been sounding anti-Wall Street theme...

Fateful phone callCONWAY — On Dec. 7 of each year, our nation celebrates a Day of Remembrance that we call Pearl Harbor Day. It was on this day in 1941 that the Japanese attacked our Naval Fleet stationed at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, with the loss of 2,403 Americans killed and another 1,178 wounded. Most of our warships were either sunk or heavily damaged. The following day, war was proclaimed. Of course, most Americans know the rest of the story, but what follows ...

Life, resurrection and EasterGrowing up in rural Georgia in the 1970s, I thought of Easter not only as the resurrection of Jesus but as a sign that spring had sprung and it was time for a new Sunday dress, a hat, gloves and more chocolate than I could eat, at least at one time. My focus was less on the resurrection and new life of Jesus Christ than on standing still while my mother pinned the new dress she was sewing for me to get the right fit, and making sure that our w...

Indiana and the culture warsIf I visit a kosher restaurant and order a pork chop, am I being discriminated against when the waiter says they don’t serve pork? If an establishment requires that men wear jackets and women dress in what that establishment defines as an “appropriate way,” does that constitute discrimination? When I visit the Vatican, the Swiss Guards won’t let me in if I’m wearing shorts. They offer a cover-up. It is the same for women, if they bare too much...

Protect freedom, not enforce beliefArkansas House Bill 1228, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, doesn’t actually say anything about gay rights. What it says is, “A state action shall not substantially burden a person’s right to exercise of religion ... unless it is demonstrated that ... (it) is essential to further a compelling governmental interest; and is the least restrictive means of furthering that compelling governmental interest.” Of course gay rights is what led to ...

Etiquette versus annihilationRecent statements from United Nations officials, that Iran is already blocking their existing efforts to keep track of what is going on in their nuclear program, should tell anyone who does not already know it that any agreement with Iran will be utterly worthless in practice. It doesn’t matter what the terms of the agreement are, if Iran can cheat. It is amazing — indeed, staggering — that so few Americans are talking about what it would mean...

Bill targeting photographers gains approvalWhile most of the attention the past few days has been focused — and rightfully so — on a bill that will legalize discrimination against gay people in Arkansas, another incredibly bad piece of legislation will apparently become law this week. Senate Bill 79, titled “The Personal Rights Protection Act,” is awaiting only the governor’s signature. Ostensibly it’s aimed at protecting “the property rights of an individual’s name, voice, signature a...

Bill tests LGBT economic argumentLITTLE ROCK — When Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson announced his pick to lead the state’s economic development agency, his intent was to tout efforts to lure more jobs and compete internationally in the hunt for companies. Instead, he spent a good part of his news conference discussing his support for a religious protection law that critics say will lead to widespread discrimination against gays and lesbians. It was the latest sign of how the fig...

Ten Commandments monumentLITTLE ROCK — The Senate approved legislation to place a monument of the Ten Commandments on the grounds of the state Capitol. It would be paid for entirely with private donations, but the Secretary of State would be responsible for its placement and design. The Secretary of State’s office is in charge of maintenance of the Capitol building and its grounds. If a lawsuit is filed that challenges the constitutionality or legality of the bill, th...

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Senator-elect Greg StandridgeThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Economic development edgeLITTLE ROCK — When the housing bubble burst and the recession hit in 2008, perhaps no state suffered more than Florida. Newly constructed housing developments sat empty. Jobs fled the state. The economy tanked. At one point, unemployment in Florida reached 12 percent. This was the environment facing Governor Rick Scott and his economic-development team just a few years ago. Today, Florida’s unemployment rate is about 5.5 percent. Over the past...